TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME IN BRIEF.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10999, 24 June 1901, Page 5

TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME IN BRIEF.

r ." ' 9.15 a.m. —Following Streets Closed to Wheel Traffic :—-Park terrace, ■ •■' from North belt to Kilmore street; Salisbury street, from Park '".' 2 terrace to Montreal street; Victoria street, from. Salisbury street ,'7 [y , to Armagh street; Kihnove street, from Durham streot to Park •\~i terrace. Closed to 11.80 a.m. $ V 10 a.m.—Troops Formed Up in Line of Quarter Columns on Review ■ •;, Ground. \ ' l 10.15 a.m.—Their Royal Highnesses Leave " Te Koraha " and Proceed '.; via Carlton Mill road, Paik terrace, Salisbury and Victoria '' '' , streets, to Victoria square. 10.80 a.m. —ChildronV. Demonstration in Victoria square. All stands ' V reserved for children. Public will see function from Victoria street , J\;;v 10.80 a.m.— All Carriages conveying persons to the Review in Hagley ,-, f.\, Park Must have Entered either by Fendalton gate or Helmore , gate, approaches "to which will bo closed half an hour before ths ~ V * A ' Royal Party Arrives. Gate at Carlton bridge Closed to Pedestrians at 10.30. Armagh street Entrance Striotly Reserved for Pedestrians. Private carriages in Park will range along avenue running from Carlton bridge to near. Riccarton entrance. Carriages Must Return to Town by Carlton bridge. - 10.46 a.m. (about)— Their Royal Highnesses Drive via Victoria and Kilmore streets, Park terrace, over Carlton bridge, round to Riccarton road entrance to Hagley Park. 11 a.m.--Duke Reviews Troops and Presents Medals to Members of Returned Contingents. 12.15 p.m.—Following Roads will be Closed to Vehicular Traffic :— Lincoln road and Oxford terrace, from Riccarton road to Montreal street; Montreal street and Cranmer square, Oxford terrace to Kilmore street; Kilmore street, from Montreal street to Park torrace; Terrace, from Kilmore streot to North belt. Closed to 2.80 p.m. 1.80 p.m. (about) —Government Entertain Veterans and Members of Returned Contingents at Art Gallery 5 p.m.—Royal Reception to Invited Guests, Canterbury Hall. Evening—lllumination of City.

fBT,Ot3 ffPZCXAL. RKFORTIR.I

Heralded by cable and telegram, with rumours for pureirivante, escorted "by a oonKUntly augmenting stream of special and official chronicles, gradually, gathering in',te^t aod volume as the. Royal "pageant ■?; s «»rcpt nearer and nearer on its. Empire j, rjpnrney, announced by.the clamours of can-

non, signalled by streaming banners, and :,,./. lighted alon gouj coast by friendly, blazing : bonfires—at losfc, the Duke!

/-'•; The keen interest evoked when the pro y "' ject for the Royal visit waa first announced "./'took definite, shape as a people's rejoicing ■. J ; irhen the Ophir started from England on :'; -?lwr long journey, bearing her finyal freight . .; -—those knrghte seeking out the Golden Fleece of .Empire spread for them in these "; Southern &*«, When the fleet touched / 'Australian shores some eddy of the weJ- ; " ocene t>l the continent reached our lovely ff» f ihorw, and the b«wts of all New Zealand ', ■ , beat in uniwm with those of our kin be- \ / giontag thftir great experiment m nation■f>-- hood Jn the presence of the Heir to the ThrotSb. Noav that the Pruwse and , f , his giucious coiMiort are actunlly on New ehoros, from Auckland to Duuedin -I,* ■• gnat wave of loyalty ia Kw-ecprag. From to wwth the Royal visitors ride £v [ihroogh viutos of decoraitni sfrwU nr.d ead;f < -keTolleyii of loyal, cheering throngs. On tliie tide of excitemeot and wcl>Jjj>; cou» swept through Christclnircb. and the &[*' It »M a. bleak, cold morning in that ff- Uttte port on the other side of fte big sg tynned. L'uder the deadening effect of Vv e^Mi showew, Lyttefton «V.V•leefced. grimly inho&pitabto. About eight '-e'olocsk the assemblage of st«amer» irere «w entering the H«i<fei, and v<* White Lady of the Fleet ?>*rept graceon, <with her warships in her train. Cannon of trtie batteries aiitl tJie cniL«er» t£" * w ? awl * welcome. On th« o]>hir |l\.*Ulie, diadaining the aid of the pertinnulous, littie tugs, and sprung into her £' , taooringa »t the jetty with a mivvellous "vj «ttctnftss nnd ease. .;" On boanl *U tow» order ami p*ar<?. The of tlw big liner nhoue now in the v, bright sunlight, for with ths arrival of the ru^M M threatening cloutls had slowly ; Wlhdrawn, »nd a tiruve eun swept the niistti f s*Pe«a the hills. But a. bitter breeze etill blew, 1 ? On the wharf was the covered I &Uf coloured, tlmt led from tl» boat toiiije I Rejal train. The school children occupied *■'•■ * J*****"* near tha Bt| y»l v»r*ioge. R-'Vf™ o| ? tlle °I ,cn spa*® >n '-»j,t of

a>'Wβ Ophir vm> drawn up th* ; . liar ,i cf |.;r honour. I approached the ship? «an^-av. I A young man in plain doUu-3 int<v ..-opted I I T* * Y<m TOU 8° furth "5 rto. tmt even I P f es *' , , U WM °°* f '- cordon of ***ctms that unortentMimtvlr RU ard dint I precious life. Metatiin* th...|* waa the landI ing of the Koyal rasfd p.-Md *h ifci >ed to lit «» i :.;A«OU»Ie bMd.yw. |t *»» stingo to I ;|Ht!» boxes marfc*d '7!jß.n. the Duke of |, Cornwall and York." ; fc : X£any keen «gre» «s*iinpd tlw Roral boat. |: ;Bat th*re w»* oo «g>» of U»e Roy*l Admiral it? or' U»a iHicbeW. the notables •rriwd, tkt> Vtanitt and Sir .Toeeph Ward. fc s gailanb in ftiid Windsw uniform, || whiA is not, 90 tipttf rwaVft »a its headgear "one 'to rxjtfcit. jfc*nfuriy in I;- uniform, Tunbridtre in fmck |>«>e* ud All itot, the Mayor of Lyttelton, g- end nuuiv lnn^t.. | 5 , fJaerc is a ,fir f-a board, and p,g*i!r figures in ecariet; and gold down the gangway. ' Th» dr»o*il miud* and valrte of the pt»rt,y; mter tlve train. TSien a bngJe cW ftisa-crisp ?w a licll. Ihe Pj**7? Aed f »»«»ws line the; d<H.-k«, and thM |pf«:ur#M" of Royalty ia -heard |||#rpoi 0u» Pikhirn band. Fi«b)y utter the PJfcaeniflcw; volawe of sound from that body BS? l ?*l S|ftU *' ( ' £ * ,MS Mle local b » nd "I^* 1 ' -altornate with drab- ■

coloured overcoats, swathing one knows not what glitter 'of-scarlet and stars beneath— for it is still cold, and even a Gnardsanan has to tAk© care of the polish of his cuirass.

Instinctively the eye picked out'the Duke and that equal frvue-of glances tbo Duchess. The Prince, in tho Admiral's uniform of bw portraits, stepped slowly down the gangway, rather short, neat in his movements: Ho evidently felt tbo cold a good. deal. Hβ turned his glance full upon you. and in a flash you saw the marvellous likeness h> his father, the King. He did not look qtittowdl'l, but it must be remembered that the Ophir hadlmd rather a rough trip, and/ he Ls not a good Sailor. • But the Duchess? Tall, clothed in some I black costume—it is not for tlw mere male to «?peculate as to material—which, by its apparent simplicity, proves the thought necessary to express such an effect by taich a wealth of decoration. Her magnificent figure, graceful and tall, contributed miroh to the effect of regality ]»er presence produced. She wne born to bs a Queen. Her , dedicate English complexion, and the light j goldejj hair, gave her face a refinement ar.d I charm. Among our I\ T ew Zealand womnnI hood she looked almost an exotic. She stood.,talking pleasantly to some, of the staff, and than it was one saw that wonderful • world-noted smile. Without it, the Princess's face wojiM seem almost hard; but with it— ana.it is rarely that she allows the expression to die entirely out of. her.face— tin l face of our futua>e Queen is gentle, sympathetic, gracious. In nNMiper J and tearing, too, the Duchess hoe ,V&en born for a t?krone. The Duke gives ojfc th* impression of a quiet man, who hsjjThad to overcome more than his sliai* of nervousness : but his consort takes place- inI stinttively, and is regally sclf-p'osseeeed. As she ohatted while waiting on/th& wharf she idly swung her parasoL to aprU fro, a gesture utterly removed from nenvousDes?. Tlie Eoyal pair quickly entered the carand the school/children's National Anthem suffered from/the point of view of time by the excitement of the children at the presence of The public crowded the steep stra-fo overlooking th-e wharf, and lined the ropte of tlia Royal train, accompanying it ;,vit& continual "cheers. The train starting/with on imperceptrbility utterly novel <*h New Zealand lines, backed swiftly into, the station, and then plunged into the tiitmel. Knverjjityjj from the darkness, the visitors found tjrfm»lv*e.in a blaze of winter sunlight spread over the dark green wide €Xof Ihe Canterbury Fains, with the bate English trees, the fields of wonderful gi*een, the hedges of golden gorse, and the cJfear. crisp atmosphere, the scene must have ytrurfc tho English Tritice and his English Priwfss ai recall : ng in some de-cree the country he had left behind. We in Canterbury pride ourselves on our Knglish oripin; certainly there is no part of the King's dominions that, superficially at least, more roseon-bfeg the rftler Motherland. But though tli9 general -not* struck was English, the r**fs of dark bluepiuna, ths wire fences, the hare little weatherboard liou.«e?, the penoral ntmosphiere of newness, crudity, and youth, proved that thk was New Zealand after all. And rhe Cathedral city, with its spacious s*rret« aryi squares e.tt€»ding from that central pillir of stnw far info the plain, w, 1 ..i -the willow-shaded Avon winding between groen Tawre and yhrubberies, and vrpv store brides, mtrst have confirmed the English appearance presented by this new- Chmtchurch of ti« South. Ih? first of the city was a hopefill augury. The train snt-pt'into a bower nf vrrdnre. and stopjwd, as it were, in a n - Q , n L y t W Zeata »l l«eh- Tt. was the CAnf-iclwn-ch stanon transform edbv artistic •«bo»r from itn bairnes* into a 'veritable place of buntr. . On t4ie platform rtood the Mayor, his chain of offiw glittering on bis breMt revly to extend the crtVs to her IWI Tfeijtora. Lord Ranfurly «tepp«jl quirfchr from tl»» train, and introdiKred Mr and >frs RliotKs to their Royal Hjghnewrs, nxsd the citißeiw , address was prestntwi; A bfmqu-t to presented to the nudwn i»v little ili«. R4iodes, and her Royal Highness received it with her usual charming that, sugnly conveyed no im. pression of the fact- thai this mast be the tljousamUh bouquet sue has received from rather s>by little girls. The bouquet which ilias. V\ aymouth had handsd her at Lyttelton wJw not m evidence; prearamably it woiiM be sent to Te Koraha later. The Roy*l Commissioners were next presented, and the Doke engewd in conversation with one of them. In reply to a remark about the weather, tJw» Dnbo-eaid. "Yes, it is very cold," and looked as if hs thought w>. Meanlim« *n immense crowd waited outside tie etaiion, and int*rwfc quickened to excitement

fts one after another -of the gorgeous officials ofjthe BoyaLetlite, oa well as various prominent person*, came down ttbe steps in twos ami threes, and took their seats, in the waiting carriages. At last the Duke and his consort armed, and the crowd, immediately recognising their figures, Broke into a peal of cheers. Quickly the procession was formed, and the carriages started. In the central carriage-sat the Dake and Dttohess, facing them being the " Duke's trusted counsellor, Lord Wenkrek, chief of the staff. In front of the carriage rode scarlet* coated, bewigged outriders, and on each side rode the equerries, -the Duke of Roxburghe and Viscount Crichtoa, superb specimens of soldiers, in the magm'cent uniforms of the Royal Horse Guards, their cuirasses of steel and waving plumes climaxing the many elements of the picturesque. One did not wonder that these two officers had jealously covered up those splendid uniforms lrom Lytteiton's weather by their all-envel-oping cloaks. The procession wae composed of company after company of mounted troops, swinging along in sombre khaki, riding easily and loosely, as colonials can ride. But, for the present, nobody noticed the men, the lines of spectators were straining eyes to see the central figures of the pageant. After the Royal carriage went by there followed a wide stream of kfaiiki, a seemingly endtess procession of soldiering. It was an instructive sight. The long line of silently-moving horsemen, their ranks unbroken except by the guns of a company ot artillery, unrelieved by any colour, one neutral-tinted stream of troops, impressed the onlookers with the strengtti, the readiness, the reliability of our colony's defenders.

Up Manchester street the procession went through a lane of bright colours. The nautical arch raised its fragile form across the street; a ship's boat formed the base of each tower," and a ship's bridge, manned by the men at the wheel formed the top of the But its light structure detracted from its general effect. High street was spanned by the much-discussed Frozen Meat HTch. Its graceful span .was supposed to represent ice, but it resembled more closely a wedding-cake. Frozen sheep hung —luckily behind glass panes—at the base of the towers, and blocks of real ice, in which were embalmed clursanthemums, only showed how different the real ice was from its con-fectionary-looking imitation. Swinging round into Colombo strWt, the procession passed the picturesque West Coast trophy. A tail needle of gold, representing the golden yield of the West, sprang from a group of tree-ferns placed on blocks of coal, and logs of New Zealand,timber. It was a compact and graceful display of the resources of the West.

Cathedral square was thronged with sightseers, and gay with many-coloured garlands and flags. The procession wound round the monuments and passed under the swiftlyerected firemen's arch, which did not pretend to be more than two of the Brigade's extension ladders joined together, and hung ■wifh fesloons of preenery. It was. simple and effective.

Worcester street bridge was spanned by the Agriculturists and I'artoralists arch— a solid-looking structure of greenery, roofed with cereals, and capped by two stockmen posed upon tha pediments. In the pens that composed the towers live poultry, Miecp, a bullock, and a draught horse, were prisoned. Despite this incongruity the structure presented a very handsome appearance. Clearing Cambridge terrace to the Provincial Chambers the procession passed, iw» everywhere along the route, greeted' with a afce&dy roar of chters.

Here waited the Mayor and his councillors, other officiate, and those fippointed to present f.he two addresses—tihat from the Old Age pensioners and that from the Orangemen. His Royal Highness entered ♦he room, accompanied by his smite, an-d the addresses were read. In his reply, delivered in the strong voice that he has inherited from his Royal grandmother, the Duke showed an intelligent appreciation of the experiment* this colony are making in social legislation. The speech cone-hided, those present were introduced to his Royal Highness. The next stago of the journey was the short drive to Victoria Square, when an immense crowd of spectators occupied liie big stands, that ringed the enclosure round the foundation stone of the Canterbury Jubilee; Memorial-!-** doublfeeifcibute to the memories of those piftßrws - <*f peace ttat founded Canierl^gtttti. .. and to those of our younger gejiy-'tftkai'-who have fallen in South Africa h; ijbe. causfe of the Empire. A covered dais , : iad Keen erected in the middle of the stftnde,*and in the

centre of the open space was a small.;r canopied platform fcrat showed the loci-

tion of the foundation atone. The arrivul of the Royal visitors wa« a signal foV a welcome from thousands of voices, while above from, the spire of the Cathedral floated p»af after peal of joy-bells. The Duke and Dtjdbess alighted" from their carriage, and were received on the dais by the colony's popular Governor. As the Duchess moved slowly across the lawn sh*j- received a welcome, rough and uniiipeQted, but truly colonial in its watantih. A big, dirty collie escaped from the orowd, ami friskirg over the open space made for the Duel ess, bounding abwit her in. ioken of greeting. For a moment it seeaied as if this over-friendly welcome

would rwnilfc in tie ruin of the ladVs cos-

tume, but the collie-bounded away, and the , catastrophe was averted. Throughout the little incident the Duchess was not for 1 on« instant dismayed. On the dais were grouped the Goiem-mec-t's guest , ?, and after a- few moment* in--1 terra! their Royal Harnesses moved a ft ' the crimaon-carpeted tanri to the foi;nd"it'-v] f stone. The photographers pressed the ' u- fton, and the kinematograph expert turned hi-s handle. The Mayor, in a concise sperch, stated the reason's*that, led *tn the inception of the memorial, and handed to the Duke the silver and greenstone trowel. The Thike performed his functions with fastidious care, and speaking in the true tones of Royalty, that were heard even on the stands, made his usual brief and happy speech. Retracing their steps to the dais 'the party waited' while the Friendly Societies, drawn up conveniently near, passed rapidly in front of the dais, each faction .according the Royalties a hearty cheer. Once more into carriages, and the Boyal party moved off amid a tumult of cheering. The procession paseed the picturesque Government Arch, which was an avenue of native foliage, the long tunnel into which the bridge was converted being gracefully .interlaced with greenery. To the pretty bridge this green bower added a picturesque crown, while the Avon beneath added its reflection to complete the artistic effect. Then through further crowds of, cheering people the procession wepded, the infantry that lined the route to Victoria Square now giving way ti> the diminutive forms of the cadets, somewhat weary with their long wait. The carriage, swept into the spacious avenue of Park Terrace, bordered by the '< bare willows and green grass sloping down to the placid coursing Avon, and thence into Carlton Mill road, and so at last into the 'haven of the Royal residence, Te Korahn. A f uiefc afternoon swnt in a stroll in the neighbourhood of Mr Rhodes's fine residence, and watching some characteristically colonial horsa-jumping over wire fences, gave their Royal Highnesses a short respite from the cares of their position. In the evening, however, there was tine first official dinner, and after that Royalty made its second public appearance in Christchurch.

This was at the Mayor's reception at the Agricultural Hall. The number of invited guests totalled many hundreds, and Jong before nine o'clock the long stream of carriages had deposited their fair-cloaked burdens under the covered portico th*t extended to the street. Inside, the great hall was lighted with arc lights-,- draped with bine and red, which in the gallery made one favoured half of the ladies blush rosily, while the less fortunate feminines under 'the blue globes were -a cruel pallor. The walls were draped in the fame Royal colours. As' each* guest entered, he or she shook bands with the Mayor and .Mrs Rhodes, and passed in fo mingle withi the crowd-. "Here was everybody who is notable in Cforistchurch. The prevailing colour was sombre, the black of the gentlemen's garb being accentuated and varied br the nalf-mooming worn by the ladies. Some of the effects produced by the mere super-position of white upon black, helped »y the glitter of sequins, will for mtr remain a wonder to the* mere male. Here and there glittered the uniform of some naval or military man, and a diffident touch of purple relieved the monotonjfc of white shoulders that rose out of the the all-

pervading sable, like the, flash of crested waves at night. At one end &f the "room was erected a dafe* handsomely furnished, abd round this,' yet at a respectful distance, the guests eddied and,circled. The night was very cold, the .daring spirits' of the suggesting what- a relief it won! be to have a dance.

. At last there came a. stir, and the guests formed a laoe of impatient faces, down which the Royal guests would pass. But Royal this . time was not punctual. Nearly an hour went by before a gathering of brilKant uniforms at the door proclaimed the arrival of the party, and, preceded by some of the gueste of the dinner at Te Koraha, the Duke Duchess o&me . in. It was to the Duchess that every woman's eye first turned, and as she swept up this wondering circle, admiration was on every face. She was queenly in black, and on head and beautiful neck and shoulders glittered a galaxy of diamonds. The Duke was attired in evening dress, and looked the ideal type- of a quiet, courteous English gentleman, a little weary, perhaps. Yet he and his consort were gracious and smiled, and bowed to the universal welcome. Many a young lady's elaborately-practised ourtsey had bo be abandoned, rendered impossible by the densecrowd that crushed towards the path of- the Roy&ltks. 1 • Seated on the dais, the Duchess regally upright in her comfortable easy chair, their Royal Highnesses Listened with an air of respite to the short concert programme. The performers turned towards the dais, and elaborate curtsies and formal bows expressed their deference to their distinguished audience. The concert over, Earl Ranfurly's suite, in the familiar pale-blue facings "to their evening suits, backed into the crowd, lacing the Duke and Duchess, and tormed a loqb through the guests down" which their Royal Highnesses smiling and bowing made their stately progress. After their departure the crowd remembered fueir hunger, and a general move was made to the supper-rooms, where a profusion of everything was dispensed by an obliging army of waiters and waitresses. The Mayor and Mrs Rhodes saying good-night to their many guests, received on every hand cordial congratulations oa the noteworthy -social event they ibad " and triumphantly carried through. Meanwhile the public thronged the illuminated streets of the city. Neither the decorations nor, the illuminations equalled in some respects the effects obtained in the more northern- cities. Ths fault of the Ohristoinirch scheme of decoration was its diffuseness, and consequent ineffectiveness. The illuminations suffered somewhat from the same diffiraeness. The railway station vindicated its claim to be the most artistic decorative scheme by the it.ectric illumination of its encompassiag jungle of greenery at night, while the Frozsn Meat Aroh changed from its duckling, of .the. daytime' to a wonderful swan of beauty at night. The glistening white span was one mass of light.; but it was surely a pity that the 'illuminations should have been only upon one side of 'the arch. The hideous-trans-parencies in the Post Office flared in all their banality during the evening. • but ■ the .Government Arch broke into hew and oharming tteg&nee under the , spell.of numbers of electric lights concealed in its wealth of foliage. tSten from either side, the waters of the Avon blent and transformed thie glow above into a thousand new and varying reflections. Bub it was the OtbcdraTsptre, that central upraised figure of grey stone, that focuswed all the beauty of the evening scene. Like a great towrarof lire it rose .from the thronged street, its tower outlined in lines of coloured fire,,amd its graceful spire ringed with points of light- Crowning thie ruddy torcu- like a white flame flickered the incandescent cross. A searchlight from the ground searched '.the darkness and found that summit of the spire, changing like the alchemists of old that polden. cross into a thinij of silver. Far across the level plain, far out to the ocean, shone that torch of fire ; it told the settler in his hut, the sailor on the bridge, that Christchurch rejoiced in the presence of tbe heir to England's Throne. . .